Thunder Bird
by ShadowLi19
Summary: Several girls, each with a story of their own. What happens when all of a sudden a new war begins under the attempted invasion of Konoha? An interupted Chunin Exam, an undercover ANBU, a jinchuriki with the ability to summon the dead...What's going on?
1. Arrival

Thunder Bird

Naruto isn't mine, neither are any songs in this story

Chapter One: Arrival

Mist encased the field, two cursed as they tried to find their opponent.

A large shuriken taking form as it cut through them, blood splattering onto the ground. The mist let up as a seventeen year old caught the shuriken as it made a turn, coming back to her.

* * *

"WHAT?" Sakura screeched, staring at the Hokage. Naruto grinned, crossing his arms over his chest. Kakashi frowned behind the mask, watching the Hokage suspiciously. 

The Hokage watched as Sasuke looked up at him, dark eyes narrow. Two shinobi had been slaughtered outside of Konoha, suspected to be by the Akatsuki. But there had been a rite left on the bodies, one similar to what Yondaime had used during his lifetime.

But Yondaime was dead, the only other user of the rite had been Kakashi, and he had been in the team's company at the time of the attack.

So there were rumors of war spreading like wildfire over the ANBU and Jonin, and it was leaking through to the Chunin and Academy.

And so, the Hokage had taken it upon himself to inform Kakashi and his team.

* * *

Sitting on the railing of the bridge, Sakura tried to stay calm, Naruto leaning next to her and staring at the water. Sasuke was leaning on her other side, back against the railing and staring at the sky as it started to rain. 

Kakashi stood behind them, leaning against the railing on the other side, reading his novel as usual. It would have seemed like any other day if it hadn't been for the news.

The sound of footsteps against wood, quick and near silent. It went unnoticed by the team, only Kakashi's attention half caught.

Two arms were flung around the Jonin's neck, followed by a chest that pressed against his arm, a head on his shoulder. The scent was that of one long lost, but Kakashi couldn't help but snap his book closed, embracing her.

"Kakashi!" That got the trio's attention. Sasuke's head snapped up, Sakura turned to quickly that Naruto had to grab her waist to keep her from falling into the river.

Wrapped around Kakashi was a black haired girl, black pants tattered and torn, revealing the fishnet under them, a black sleeveless shirt with fishnet sleeves and fingerless gloves. Around her forehead was the hitai-ate of Konoha.

Turning her face to team seven, only Naruto and Sakura we taken aback by her eyes. One red, the other black.

"Hey Sas." The two shocked faces turned to Sasuke in curiosity.

* * *

"So, what are you doing back here? I thought you had been dragged off to Lightning Country." Sasuke asked, standing in the clearing that he'd dragged the teenager to the moment Kakashi had gotten his team's attention. 

She pouted, a look far too young for her reputation. "Sas, didn't you miss me? I mean, I didn't even get to say bye to you before I left. What happened to the happy-go-lucky little kid I used to know?"

"He died with the rest of his clan, you remember what Itachi did." Black hair covered her red eye, the black staring at Sasuke. "And don't give me that look, Raiji, I know you're not angry at him. You and Itachi could never hate eachother."

"The Chyachi family was murdered by Orochimaru, Sas. You didn't come home to see the murder with your six month developed baby brother in his hands! I couldn't even look at my mother when the ANBU squad came to get the bodies, the only corpse that wasn't mangled beond recognition was Chikai, and her head was missing." Raiji Chyachi looked at him, and Sasuke watched the black turn a piercing red, three wheels appearing around the pupil.

"But then, I guess you didn't get a chance to leave the house, did you, Sas?" Sasuke looked at her, eyes narrow. "Four years, little brother, and you never bothered to ask why the village calls me Shinigami?"

* * *

Sakura watched from the bushes as Sasuke talked to the teenager, wondering what was going on. She heard the word Shinigami, and saw Sasuke's eyes widen. Sakura let out a growl as the girl hugged Sasuke, and before she knew it she'd thrown a shuriken at the pair. The girl let out a yelp, pulling away from the Uchiha and pulling the weapon from her arm.

* * *

"Who did that!" Raiji said, watching the blood flow down her arm. Sasuke looked around, his eyes landing on Sakura's hiding place. 

"Stay away from Sasuke!" Sakura stood up, and Raiji turned her head to her sharply, Sasuke's hand flying out to stop her, hiding her eyes from Sakura in the process.

"Lemme guess, Haruno Sakura? Yes, pink hair, green eyes, forehead, you must be a Haruno. Sasuke, are the girls still chasing you?" Raiji raised an eyebrow, looking at him out of the corner of her eye before abruptly grabbing Sasuke's hand, yanking it down as far as the stiff muscles would allow her, and effectively biting down on his knuckles.

Sasuke yelped, and Sakura saw Raiji's eyes, taking a step back and tripping over a root.

* * *

"Who's?" Kakashi stared at Raiji as she wrapped Sasuke's hand in bandage. The Copy Ninja had been more concerned with her arm, but Raiji had waved his off, grabbing his medic kit and pulling a red Sasuke infront of her. 

'She hasn't changed a bit, she stills babies him. And she still refuses help... maybe not so much, she's getting help from whoever gave her that eye.' Kakashi's hands went to his hitai-ate, pulling it off his head as he pushed the mask down around his neck. "Same girly features, Kaka."

"I'll say this one more time, who's eye is it?" Raiji offered his a small smile, laying her head on Sasuke's shoulder as she wrapped her legs around his waist. "Obito."

It was whispered, and Kakashi had barely caught it. "Obito gave me his other eye, Kaka, he wanted us to be able to fill in for him as part of the clan. He gave you more than one gift, Kakashi. He gave you the chance to see things through his eyes. Through his Sharigan.

He knew I was born with the Shiaka, they run in the bloodline of the Chyachi, afterall, and he knew about Itachi and I. He understood that for me to be accepted in the Uchiha, where I was shunned by the Chyachi, I would need more than Itachi. I never agreed to have it implanted, Rin ambushed me on my fourteenth birthday and took me to the doctor. Next thing I knew she had Obito's other eye out of the jar and in my face.

I didn't even get a choice of which eye I got to keep, she took out the eye I was nearly blind in and gave me Obito's." Kakashi stared at her, eyes wide. Sasuke hand fisted his hands in the battered material of Raiji's pants, eyes wide as he listened to something he should have never learned.

Raiji lifted her head, her arms wrapping around Sasuke. "Is it ok if we stay here tonight, Kaka? I've still got to go apartment searching in the morning."

"It's fine. But why ... you were only four when Obito died, how...?" Raiji brought her finger to her lips. "That's for us to know."

"Raiji, you could--" Sasuke was cut off by Raiji's finger, a small smile on her lips. "Sas, you're old enough to live on your own. Besides, do you have any idea what they'd do to me if they found out that I, an S-Ranking missing-nin, was living with a minor that I don't have custody over? That's a one way ticket to being banned out of the villages, Sas."

Sasuke smiled slightly, leaning his head against her neck. Kakashi watched, remembering exactly how it used to be before Itachi had murdered his clan, and before Raiji had started being abused by her brother.

'Our families were always messed up, weren't we?'

* * *

Sasuke pulled his shirt over his head, relieved to have the heavy material off of his body. Looking in the mirror, he couldn't help but realize how much he resembled his brother. 

"You still have that choker? I figured you would have tossed it away after Itachi and I left." Sasuke smiled to himself, looking over at Raiji reflection. She was barely a head over him in height, unnaturally small due to a premature birth. She looked at him lazily with the shiaka, the red iris burning into him and freezing him in the same moment.

Around her neck was a choker identical to Itachi's, and one identical to hers was around Sasuke's.

"You can never change who you are, no matter how much you want to." Sasuke said, repeating the very words he'd heard her preaching when he was four. "We made a blood pact, remember?"

"Yes. We made a blood pact, we promised that we would always be together. Hm, so much for that promise. If Ita's not already dead, I'll kill him for leaving for not even bothering to send a letter or something. Not one thing in the past four years!" Raiji said, smiling softly at Sasuke. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing a kiss to his jaw as she watched his reflection.

"_Yami no oku de itsu made mo_

_Kurenai yureru nokoribi ni you ni_

_Yoroi matou kokoro ni mo_

_Kusubutta omoi wa kiezu_" Raiji murmured, tracing the lines of Sasuke's stomach. He shivered slightly in her arms, and Raiji sighed.

"You miss him, don't you?" Sasuke asked, and Raiji pulled away. "Yeah, I keep remembering how jealous he got whenever I started babying you, or hanging on Kakashi."

Raiji smiled, pressing a kiss to Sasuke's cheek. "Get a shower and go to bed, you've still got training tomorrow."

Sasuke nodded, watching her reflection as she left.

* * *

Kakashi sat infront of the memorial, tracing over the names. He felt a leak of chakra behind him, turning to see Raiji. 

"You always come here before going to your team?" Raiji asked, paying her respects as well. Kakashi looked at her as she kneeled next to him. Kakashi reached over, pulling her off balance and kissing her cheek through his mask.

"Itachi's not here, Raiji, you know he isn't going to come back for you." Raiji looked at him, punching him in the stomach roughly." He promised. He promised both I and Sasuke that no matter what, he'd came back. I kept my promise, and I'm the unreliable one, Hatake. So I know that Itachi is going to come back."

Raiji stood, sending a quick kick to the back of Kakashi's head. He grabbed her leg, flipping her onto her back. She growled, glaring up at him as he stood.

Flipping herself backward on her shoulder, Raiji stood to her full height of five foot, eyes narrow. Kakashi looked lazily down at her down at her through one eye.

"Same rules as when we were kids, Bakashi. No groping, other than that-"

"Anything goes." Kakashi finished, pulling his hitai-ate into it's right place over his forehead, two mismatched eyes that mirrored Raiji's stared back at her.

'Anything goes..' She grinned, her arms going lax by her sides. 'This is gunna be fun. Let's see how much you've improved, Kaka-Baka.'

Kakashi made the first move, making a punch for her head. Raiji dodged, crouching down and swiping her leg out, knocking Kakashi off his feet. Kakashi grabbed the waistband of her pants, dragging her down with him. Rolling away from Kakashi, Raiji moved for the bag she'd dropped by the memorial.

She pulled out a folded shuriken, resembling the Demon Wind Shuriken, only larger. Kakashi grinned, getting to his feet.

"Shadow Shuriken, would've thought you'd stopped carrying those around after they were banned." Raiji shrugged, unfolding the weapon. "Thought wrong then, Kakashi."

With that, Raiji flung it at him, catching him in the arm with one of the blades. Kakashi winced, watching as it came back to her, slicing open his other arm on the return trip.

'Poison takes ten minutes to take effect, maybe we can have this fight over in five and get him to Tsunade in time...' Raiji bit her lip, dropping her weapon and sending a kunai towards the older Jonin. Kakashi caught it between his fingers, running to her and trying to stab her in the shoulder. Raiji blocked, causing him to imbed the knife in her forearm instead.

Taking the kunai, Raiji grinned. She kicked him in the stomach, pushing him back a few paces. They stood like that for a moment, Kakashi trying to gather chakra into his hands.

"Remember, chakra causes the poison to speed up. A double dosage, you only had five minutes." And Kakashi seemed to remember this too, looking at his arms in terror as the exposed skin turned blue, dehydrated... Raiji raced forward, sending a quick hit to his neck and knocking him out.


	2. Mission

Thunder Bird

I don't own Naruto

Chapter Two: Mission

"I'm surrounded by fools." Tsunade growled to herself as she bandaged the gashes on Kakashi's arms where the Shadow Shuriken had sliced him open. Raiji had simply grabbed some bandage and some salve, choosing to heal herself.

It had taken the teenager mere seconds to bandage her arm and shoulder, using strings of chakra to wrap the strip of bandage around her arm correctly.

"Hurry up with that idiot, Suna-Chan, he has a cell to send on a mission." Raiji said, using the nickname for her former teacher as she turned to the door. A tray clattered to the ground as Raiji successfully knocked into Tsunade's newest assistant.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I'm such a klutz!" Raiji claimed quickly, swooping down and picking up the empty tray. Tsunade laughed, "I guess that'll never change, ne, Rai-Kun?"

Raiji blushed, a hand behind her head as she twisted to look at the sennin. "Guess not."

"Ano.." The girl Raiji had bumped into kept her head bowed, looking at her toes as she tried to avoid the Death Goddess' gaze. "I'm sorry. You must be new here, any of the other assistants have gotten used to me by now..."

Raiji took quiet note of the child's strange hair color. Green and blue. How often did you see those colors on one head in Konoha? Pink hair, yes, green, yes, blue, yes. But green and blue?

"Where do you originate from, sweetie?" Raiji asked, trying to appear the ever asbsent minded Jonin that she'd made herself out to be in the other countries. The girl's voice was young, to be expected from her appearence, but... "Hiding in Mist."

Raiji cast a look at Tsunade, one eyebrow raised at the mention of the country. "She has a headband, Raiji. I took her in when I found her in the forest. All we really know is that she's from Kiri and that her name is Sasha. Nothing else really came up when we searched all of Kiri's shinobi files."

Raiji let out a small 'hm', looking back at the child's bowed head lightly before glancing at Kakashi. "Let's go."

* * *

"We've got a mission." Kakashi announced, looking at his students. Raiji leaned against a tree, a bored look on her face. 

Of course, Raiji would have no idea what the mission was. She was still waiting for the Hokage to assign her a cell of her own. She did know one thing.

The mission was a simple asassin and save.

* * *

"There's a man who's been collecting young girls. Lately he's taken a liking to girls who have demons cased inside them." Gaara read off of the slip of paper, casting Temari a strange look. 

"Who else has a demon cased in them?" The multi ponytailed teenager asked. Kankuro looked up from his spot against the wall, pulling his headphones off carefully as he stared at the paper in his brother's hands. "What's going on?"

"There's two girls that we're supposed to save from a slave 'pleasure house'. This has to be done before the full moon, before tonight." Gaara said, balling the slip up and throwing it at Kankuro.

"This place is right down the street." Kankuro said, frowning as he read the address. "So maybe these girls are from Suna?"

"Maybe, but unlikely." Temari mummbled, looking at her insomniac of a brother.


	3. Rescue Part I

Lightning Bird

I don't own Naruto

Chapter Three

A girl moaned out in pain as she awoke. Her arms chained above her head, not even enough room to put her thighs togather without dislocating both her arms.

There was scarcely enough cloth left on her body to cover her properly.

* * *

Gaara felt like he was going to throw up as Kankuro told him his plan. How did he get roped into this? How was it that Temari got to stay at home? 

Gaara sighed to himself, realizing he had no other choice. Kankuro looked at his gourd.

"That's going to have to stay here."

* * *

The door to the cell clinked noisily, and the girl whimpered at the thought of another. She was new to the house, and her cell mate hadn't managed to get all the men to herself instead of the newbie. 

The man who normally introduced the men to the slaves stood at the door, two more behind him. The silver haired girl sent a helpless look toward her friend who, at the moment, was just waking from her pain induced slumber.

"These two should do you nicely." The man said, looking at the two harshly before locking the door behind him.

* * *

Gaara looked forward, eyes suddenly wide at the site of the silver haired teenager before him. The full moon rose sleepily from the window, filling the room with a gentle light. Blue eyes turned to him, a black shirt ripped and barely covering her breasts, let alone her belly.There was nothing to coverthe lower half of her body. 

Her cellmate looked worse for wear, just a simple, worn gray shirt ripped off her breasts and covering her stomach and down to mid thigh. Blonde hair cascaded over a pale face, pooling on bare shoulders and spilling down her back.

"Don't..." The first girl's voice cracked, her blue eyes shifting to the moon fearfully before back at him. Gaara could feel Shukaku awakening, and send a look to his brother that gave only one message;

Let's make this as fast as we can.

Kankuro walked forward, touching the chains holding the blonde and, with one quick jerk, breaking her free from the wall. She fell forward, still barely awake. The other girl sent Gaara a frightened look, tugging on her own chains.

Gaara walked forward, using sand from the floor to cut the band from around her wrists. She fell forward, attempting to stand. Gaara found that she was only a few inches shorter than himself.

"Why are you doing this?" She whispered, looking at him with blank eyes. Gaara frowned. "Because the Kazekage needs you."


	4. Rescue Part II

Thunder Bird

I don't own Naruto

Chapter Four

The watch man, who'd been counting the Sand brother's time with the two girls, screamed as sand burried him alive.

Another watch man, who'd obviously been getting his fill of a girl, stumbled out of the room while pulling his pants up. His eyes widened in shock, muttering a faint 'oni' before a blade ran through his throat.

Blood spilled onto the sand, which immediantly headed for Gaara. Silver hair caught the dim light of the hallway, blue eyes watching for any who dared to come towards her.

"Come on," Gaara said, the girl's eyes turned to him before she nodded curtly.

* * *

"Oh..." Temari's green eyes were wide as Gaara and Kankuro walked through the door, each towing a scantily clad girl. "Come on, hurry up, they've got to be freezing!"

* * *

The blonde was in Temari's bed, blankets pulled up to her chin and a heating jutsu on the room. The silver headed girl was in the living room with the Sand trio, dressed in one of Gaara's shirts and a pair of the red head's boxers. 

Cradling a mug in her hands in hope of some warmth, the girl seemed oblivious to the eyes watching her.

"So... what's your name?" Temari asked softly, causing the girl to look at her. A look of mild amusement crossed her face. "Kazekage sent you on a mission to collect us and he didn't even tell you our names? That's a first."

Temari opened her mouth to retort, but the girl beat her to it. "Name's Mizuya Kaya, anything else?"

"Where did you come from?" Kankuro asked quickly, looking at the silver hair in vague thought of where he'd seen it before. "I'm from here."

"So, yo--" Gaara started, only to be cut off by Kaya. "I'm a shinobi, genin still, I'm suppose to be heading for Konoha for the Chuunin exams."

Temari and Kankuro stared at Kaya as if she'd just set a bomb. As they looked at Gaara, they realized he hadn't even noticed.

"What about your friend?" Temari asked, looking back at Kaya. "Huh, Naru? She's from Konoha, or atleast that's what she told me."

"Now, what are your names?" Kaya asked, giving Gaara a small glance.

"Temari, I'm currently still a genin as well." Temari said, smiling at Kaya softly.

"Kankuro, like the cow I'm a genin." Kankuro said, earning a wack on the head from his elder sister.

"Sabaku no Gaara, genin." Kaya raised an eyebrow.. "Gaara of the desert... you're Yondaime-Baka's son?"

At Gaara's nod, Kaya shifted her gaze around the room. "So you two, you're his children as well?"

Temari and Kankuro nodded, and Kaya gave a small groan. "I thought I'd gotten away from all that royalty shit."

"Guess not." Gaara said absently, staring at his gourd and then at Kaya.

* * *

Naru groaned, sitting up and hearing her back crack for the first time in months... wait, sitting up? 

Looking around the room in amazement she found that she was no longer chained to the moldy wall of her prision, but in a room, a bedroom!

Faintly she heard the voice of her cellmate, and got up to find the source herself.

"-I was on a mission, I was supposed to be searching for the Hikakage-" Naru stopped dead, the word reverbrating through her mind.

She'd been sent on the same mission. It was to find and assasinate that Light Shadow, but they had no idea where the person would be. She'd been sent to Suna first, due to Konoha's treaty with the country. Then she was to investigate the ememy Kage countries. The last thing any of them needed was another Kage country bent on destroying all of them.

But she'd barely gotten past the gates of Suna when she'd been attacked, captured, and put into slavery for those barbarians that called themselves human beings.

'They'd been saying something about demonic girls, but no-one should know about me, it's illegal, isn't it?' Naru thought, regaining her posture and walking into the living room.


	5. Demons

Thunder Bird

I don't own Naruto

Chapter Five

Raiji bit her lips togather, silently berating herself for being such a child. Tsunade stood on the other side of the room, taking care of Naruto's inguries. They'd traveled all the way to Suna to find the Hikakage, only to be kidnapped by a gang of creeps that Raiji had personally taken care of.

But Naruto had jumped in the way.

Sasha, Tsunade's assistant, was kneeling behind her, head bowed. She refused to look at anyone, and it was pissing the teenager off. With an agitated sigh, Raiji pushed off the wall, sweeping across the room and gripping the child's hair.

With a sharp tug Raiji was staring Sasha eye to eye, the look of shock on the younger's face. Raiji was only slightly surprised by the girl's appearance.

Large, pink eyes, a ring of red sweeping through them and making the pink look slightly stone washed. A blue stripe adoned each cheekbone, a diamond of the same color in the middle of her forehead.

Raiji did the only thing that came to mind. She opened her mouth and breathed. But the word that came out with that breath would bring many questions.

"Jishin."


	6. Memories and Crushes

Thunder Bird

I don't own Naruto

Chapter Six

Raiji bit her lip roughly. Kakashi was sitting infront of her, trying to convince her that she could submit Sasha for the Exams. She knew for a fact that he would be submitting his entire team. Just as Asuma and Kurenai would be...

The Rookie Nine...

She shook her head, thinking of how there was the chance that Sasha hadn't even gone to an acadamy.

* * *

Naru stared at Kaya's back as they walked through Suna with Temari.

_"You realize that when we get to Konoha, we'll have to steal two entry fourms, right?"_

_"Yes, just remember this. No one is to know of our condition. No one at all."_

Naru frowned, bowing her head and watching her sandels. Up ahead of her, Kaya growled to herself.

_Why is he following us?_ Gaara was trailing them. She could feel his chakra as it jumped from hiding place to hiding place.

It was driving her crazy. It was bad enough that she was having to damn near share a room with him.

Either he was watching out for his sister, or he was stalking them.

Kaya wasn't sure if she'd want either one.

* * *

Gaara growled to himself. He watched the shift of Kaya's posture as she continued to walk next to Temari. The slight tense in her shoulders indicating that she was fustrated over something.

He found his attention moving down to the sway of her hips as she walked. She'd had to borrow a pair of Kankuro's jeans, and least to say, being a few inchesshorter and an estimated fifty pluspounds lighter made a big difference when borrowing someone's clothes. However, due to the fact that she was female, the width of her hips helped to fill in what Kankuro's gut usually did. The rest was just hope that the jeans wouldn't fall down while she was walking.

She'd borrowed a mesh shirt from Gaara, and it was thrown on over a black undershirt that she had managed to dig up in his closet.

Gaara sighed, wondering if he should follow them into the store. Upon seeing the fact that it was one of the more expensive stores that Temari had managed to find over the years, he jumped off of the roof and followed the trio in.

* * *

Kaya frowned as she felt him follow them into the store.

_Might as well give a show._ She thought, smirking to herself.

_Again, what the hell am I doing?_ Gaara asked himself, watching as Kaya shifted through a rack of shirts.

She pulled something off the rack, looking at the black material with a lip pulled between her teeth.

_Dammit, I'm going to have to track down sensai's shop again. I can't believe those bastards burnt my gi!_ Kaya growled at her reflection. She'd grown oddly accustom to having her gi jacket tied around her waist. She'd been forced to watch as her captors took the blasted thing, her only prized possesion, and set it aflame.

She observed the black top she'd picked out, noticing that, due to her bust size, it came to just above her belly, rather than above her belly button. The black jeans she had grabbed would have to rolled up. She sighed, eyeing the jeans the she had borrowed from Kankuro.

_Then again, I could just go back to my old clothes. All I'd need is another gi set from sensai, and some binding..._ She bit her lip, patting one of the pockets that had been sewn onto the jean legs.

_But Gaara's reaction to this may just be priceless..._ She growled under her breath, placing a fist on her hip as the jeans slid, showing a strap to the thong that she stolen from Temari's drawer.

She opened the door to the dressing room, finding Gaara standing there. Her cheeks lightened to a pale pink as she saw him go as red as his hair.

"Um..." She adverted her eyes, chewing on her lip gently. "Well?"

_What the fuck?_ Gaara mentally screamed, his eyes lowering themselves to the shirt, then to the jeans and the black thong, and back up to the shirt.

Kaya's eyes closed as a sudden pain shot through her chest. _He obviously doesn't like it... I don't even know why I tried with this asshole. I mean, come on, he's Yondaime's son._

Gaara watched her face, noticing the pain that flashed through her eyes. Or atleast, the only eye he could see through her hair. He frowned, noticing that it was the same wild mess that it had been since she'd taken the time to brush it out the night before.

"I... I'll go change..." Kaya's voice was soft, slightly heartbroken. Gaara sighed, waiting for her to go back into the private confines of the dressing room before following her.

"Kaya, wait..." He said, his voice low incase Temari was anywhere near them. He didn't get as far as the doorway before she turned, glaring at him.

"No. Forget it, Sabaku no Gaara. In the past eight years, you haven't change at all!" She yelled, slamming the door in his face. She closed her eyes, biting her lip as she changed back into the clothes she had borrowed.

Gaara, on the other hand, stood outside the door, completely frozen.

_Eight years?_

_**A silver haired girl smiled softly as she looked up at her sensai, asking silently if she could play with the small red head before her. The man nodded, returning her smile. The girl walked forward, watching the man next to her sensai cautiously before taking Gaara's hand and running out of the room.**_

_That had been her?_ Gaara frowned, remembering faintly that that very little girl had been the first person to get pass the protective sand barriar. She'd had exellent shinobi training by that age.

But Kazekage had wanted her to become the Wind's next weapon of destruction, and her sensai had denied the request. Kazekage had gotten pissed, and had tried to kidnap the little girl. And so, her sensai had taken her away from Gaara, hiding her away. Gaara blamed his father for the loss of the girl he'd grown so attached to.

Before Gaara realized it, he was standing outside of the store, watching Temari, Naru and Kaya as they walked out the door with their bags. Kaya turned to them, completely ignoring the red headed teenager watching her.

"I've got something I need to do, so I'll catch up with you guys later. Alright?" Kaya asked, and Temari raised an eyebrow.

"You don't know where the house is..."

"I'll take Gaara with me." Kaya said, jerking a thumb behind her, in Gaara's general direction. Temari simply nodded, dragging Naru down the street with her.

Gaara watched her, wondering if she was waiting for him.

"Kaya, I'm..."

"Didn't I already say that I didn't want to hear it?" She snapped, turning and looking at him. Gaara nodded. He silently indicated for her to lead the way as he jumped onto the roof.

* * *

"Sensai?" Kaya called, opening the door to a shop. She looked around, smiling to herself. After the Kazekage had tried to kidnap her, her master had taken up selling weapons.

"Youjo-Chan?" An old man called out. Kaya's smile brightened as she heard him. "Youjo-Chan, what happened?"

"Just... stuff. I got into a bad situation, but everything's cleared up now. Um... Sensai, by any chance..."

"I already have a new gi made up for you, youjo-chan." The old man smiled, and Kaya found herself remembering that Gaara was outside, waiting for her.

"Thank you so much, Sensai!" She exclaimed, hugging the old man. She took the brown paper wrapped package and gave him a smile.

"I'm going over to Konoha for the Chunin Selection Exams, so I won't be seeing you for a while." She told him, giving him another hug. The old man nodded, watching as she turned around to leave.

"Take care of yourself."

"I will." Kaya called as she walked out the door. Gaara dropped down next to her, looking at the package.

"What's that?"

"Something that I needed, not that it matters to you." She glared at him, and Gaara looked away.

* * *

Kaya sat down on the cot that she had set up, opening the package that she had gotten from her sensai. Her hair was damp, and her brush was sitting next to her, completely forgotten.

Gaara looked at her, watching as she opened the package carefully. He looked down at the object in his hand, then back up at her.

He moved off of his bed, picking up the brush silently and sitting behind her. He heard her gasp as he started brushing her hair.

One he was sure he'd gotten all the tangles out, he started brushing it up to the back, forming a pony tail. He took the object in his hand, a thin red ribbon, and tied it around the pony tail tightly. When he was done, he leaned his head on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry for earlier." He whispered. Kaya swallowed.

"I don't know why I expected you to remember me anyways." She answered softly. Gaara wrapped his arms around her, feeling her tense for a second, and then relax against him.

He looked down at her, clad, once again, in one of his shirts and a pair of his boxers.

"How could I possibly forget someone like you?" He whispered, and Kaya's breath hitched.

She turned slightly, looking up at him. With a sudden boost of confidence, she pressed a light kiss to his lips.

Gaara offered a small smile as she pulled away. Kaya automatically yawned.

"Sleep, I'm going to be here all night." He said to her, taking the package and letting her go. From the torn paper, Gaara could see the symbol for Tenchi. He set it on the floor next to the cot, standing and walking back over to his bed.

Kaya got up, turning off the lights. For a second all Gaara could hear was the sound of her bare feet against the wooden floor, and then a slight weight next to him on the bed.

"How much do you remember?" Kaya's voice cut through the silent darkness, and Gaara considered how much to tell her.

"Just that you were the certain girl to make me consider that maybe there is more to life than death." Gaara said, and felt Kaya's head on his shoulder. He shifted, laying her down with him, an arm around her waist.

"Night." She whispered, and Gaara heard her breathing pick up a rythm. He sighed to himself, remembering that they were leaving for Konoha the next morning.

"Goodnight, Kaya."


	7. Naked Lies

Thunder Bird

I don't own Naruto

Chapter Seven

"I've heard that the akuma has returned."

"What?" The conversation between the two women caught Raiji's attention as she followed Kakashi to the meeting.

_Are they talking about that little girl?_

"Hey, Kakashi..." Raiji started, unsure of how to phrase her question. The man infront of her didn't answer, and made no indication that he was listening. Raiji still asked.

"Do you remember that child that came here a few years back. The one that all the parents were calling akuma?" Kakashi stopped in his tracks, and Raiji slammed right into his back.

"I do." She heard him whisper. Kakashi's back was straight, and Raiji knew that his entire body had gone rigid. "She was here with her guardian. I remember that she had been in Karasu's class for a little while."

Raiji nodded, closing her mouth at the thought of the Missing Nin.

* * *

Kaya frowned as she sat in the very back of the Shinobi meeting. Her head band, which was tied around her left thigh, showed the symbol for Suna. She growled to herself lightly, watching the rest of the Jonins wait for the meeting to begin. She looked down at herself, taking in the thought of all the black on her figure.

Shaking her head to herself, she watched as two ninjas walked into the meeting. The Hokage looked over the room, deciding that everyone was finally there before starting.

She listened as the three ninjas put their entire squads up for the Exam, and an academy teacher object to this. After, she watched as the numerous others who were putting their students up for it. Her attention turned to a young Jonin. Red eyes turned her direction, and Kaya glared back.

As the Jonin began to leave the room, Kaya walked up to the Hokage. The same Jonin was there, talking to him quietly. As the other woman turned to leave, Kaya took her place.

* * *

"How'd it go?" Naru asked, looking at her as she stepped out of the Hokage's tower. Kaya grinned, holding up two fourms.

"Go ahead and start filling yours out, I'm going for a walk. I'll meet you back at the place Baki rented?" Kaya asked, looking at her companion. Naru nodded, shivering at the thought of the Jonin.

Kaya turned away from her, pocketing her fourm. She didn't have to walk far before coming on a fairly odd scene.

Jumping up into a tree, she decided to watch the exchange, between Kankuro and some kid, from above. She heard a noise below her, looking down a few branches to find a black haired kid with...

_Is that the Uchiha symbol!_

Kaya watched as the kid threw a stone at Kankuro's hand fast enough to stop him from hurting the brat that he'd been holding by the neck.

She heard Gaara on the other side of the tree, looking to see him and rolling her eyes. Her hand reached up, fingering the ribbon that was still holding her hair up.

"Gaara." She called softly as the black haired boy jumped down. Green eyes turned to her, and she raised an eyebrow.

-Go home, I'll talk to you later!-

She frowned, hearing the voice echo in her mind.

-You'd better have a good explaination, Sabaku.-

With that, she jumped onto a different tree and headed on to continue her walk.

_Damn that girl!_ Gaara jumped off the tree at the same time, making an effort to hide that she'd been there. He glared at Kankuro as they left the Konoha genins behind.

He had no idea how the telepathic link between them had been activated. Or even created for that matter. All he knew was that it was there, and he had complete access to her mind.

In fact, he had spent most of the way to Konoha probbing around in her memories.

He'd found that much of her mind was under careful lock and key. But he'd found that she was greatly concerned for something that was to be happening in a few months.

He couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen.

* * *

Kaya stood, looking up at the four Hokages that were carved into the face of the mountain.

"It's good to be back." She whispered to herself, looking down at the ribbon in her hands. Her flak jacket was unzipped, showing the top that Gaara had said he didn't want her wear.

"I shouldn't have brought my vest with me. It just raises questions that I don't want to answer..." Kaya growled to herself, looking at the sky as it began to darken.

_I should get back, Naru's going to start worrying_. With that, Kaya turned and ran back into the heart of the village.

* * *

By the time Kaya returned, it was late. All the lights were off, and Kaya got the impression that everyone had gone to bed.

Stumbling through the dark house, Kaya managed to find the room that she had chosen to share with Naru. She immediantly noticed the lack of Naru, and the thick dark chakra coming from the window.

"Gaara..." His eyes didn't even turn to her.

"Why do you have a Chunin vest?" Gaara's quiet voice carried through the darkness, and Kaya suddenly had the feeling that he could see through her.

The sensation that she was naked.

Gaara's eyes were on her, and Kaya shrugged off the flak jacket.

"I stole it, I needed to get in to talk to the Hokage, seeing as I'm two team members short." Gaara's question didn't have to be voiced, she could hear it in her mind. She could feel that doubting expression in her mind's eye.

-But why a Suna vest, when it would have been so easy to just steal a Konoha headband-

Kaya's eyes moved downward, and a cold finger under chin caused her to look up.

"You've been lying to all of us." Kaya swallowed, feeling the familar prick in her eyes as she closed them

She'd been so careful.

She'd been so sure that her disguise was fool-proof.

She hadn't been ready for the same calculating eyes that she had spent so much time around as a child.

"Yes, I suppose I have been." She whispered, opening her eyes and meeting Gaara's. A tear fell, and his hand was automatically there to pick it up.

To keep it from falling.

To keep her from falling.

Kaya settled her cheek into his palm, her eyes closed as she forced back a sob.

"I'm sorry, Gaa-Kun... I truely am sorry."

Just like that, her careful planning fell to the floor. And her disguise fell with it.

Leaving her naked, bare in his arms.

It didn't take a fool to realize that she'd broken the moment that she walked into the room. But Kaya was the only one who knew that Gaara was the only one who'd be able to fix this.

No matter how much she'd rather be back in Suna while he was in Konoha.


	8. Early Morning

Thunder Bird

I don't own Naruto

Chapter Eight

Kaya remained crying softly as Gaara worked up the nerve to demand the truth.

And so, she lead him over to her bed, sitting him down before placing herself in his lap. Her head was on his shoulder, eyes closed.

Gaara wasn't sure if she was asleep or not.

"It started after Sensai took me away from you. Away from Suna... Sensai had also brought two of his other students, and registered us for the Selection Exams that year. I'd been unsure of the abilities of my teammates, but we managed through the Exams. Infact, Hokage said that we'd passed with the most advanced abilities that he'd seen in years. But it wasn't enough to keep my teammates alive...

"I came this year after hearing that you were going to be attending the Exams. I just... I wanted to be sure that you and Temari and Kankuro get through this alright..." Kaya whispered, pressing her forehead against his jagular. The feeling of his warm blood pulsing against her skin was almost enough to drive her crazy.

Gaara wrapped an arm around her waist, the other behind him and keeping them both from falling backwards. At the moment, all that was running through his mind was the girl ontop of him.

Kaya raised her head up to his ear. Gaara shuddered as she started sucking on his earlobe, her tounge running over the three piercings and playing gingerly around each one.

As she pulled away from his ear, Gaara pressed his lips to hers. What they had both intended to be a teasing, innocent contact turned into something much more fierce.

Gaara shifted them, laying her down on the bed under him without breaking the kiss.

Pulling away from him for some air, Kaya's eyes closed as she felt her heart threaten to break out of her chest. Gaara had moved from her mouth to her neck, sucking tenderly on her jagular vein.

Kaya's eyes closed as she dragged her nails down his back, unable to make a sound.

* * *

Light hit her closed eyes, and Kaya let out a groan. She turned her head into the warm shoulder she was against, attempting the block the burden. 

A string of sand reached up and shut the blinds as Gaara stared down at the body next to him. A small smile played on his lips as he thought of the night's activities. His eyes scanned over the bruising on her lip, to the bite mark on her neck, and then finally to her flat, pale belly.

He had to admit that he was _slightly _scared of the consequences.

* * *

"Kan--" Gaara cut himself off as he entered his brother's room. The distinct smell of some kind of smoke brought all of Gaara's senses to attention. 

It was then that Gaara noticed the way Kankuro's arms were behind him. The slight hint of smoke coming out of his nose as he exhaled. The dialated pupils and blood shot eyes.

"You're high." Gaara said, shaking his head. He closed the door behind him, Kankuro seemed to calm down as he realized that Temari wasn't going to catch them.

Offering the joint to his brother, Kankuro sat down on his temporary bed. Gaara took it, taking a deep drag before sitting next to Kankuro.

"So, other than getting high, why did you come here?" Kankuro asked, taking the offered joint back without taking his eyes off of the red head.

"Kankuro, do you know anything about... well, about..." Gaara trailed off, biting his bottom lip and looking to his elder brother in a sense of distress.

_Well, I already know about what he and Kaya did last night... Is it possible that Gaara, of all people, could be scared of...?_ Kankuro decided to help the boy in looking for the word.

"Parenting?" Kankuro offered. Gaara nodded, taking back the joint. "Well... Gaara, you know how a baby's made. I'm not even going to bother covering that. But, do you seriously think that Kaya could be pregnant?"

The red head shrugged, and Kankuro sighed.

"Do you even care about this girl?"

"... yes."

"Does she know that?" Kankuro asked, and Gaara paused in the middle of a drag.

"I'm not sure." He murmered. Kankuro shook his head.

"Don't you think you should have told her before you had sex with her?" Gaara's eyes locked on the floor. He looked up as Kankuro's hand found it's way to his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. If it's supposed to happen, it will. If not, then atleast you had a taste of her, right?" Gaara nodded, handing his brother back the rest of the joint.

As Kankuro greatfully finished the rest of it, Gaara left the room.

It was surprising how much courage Kankuro had around Gaara when he was high.

* * *

Kaya stared out at Konoha from the roof of the rented home. She was supposed to take Naru to turn in their fourms later that day, but right now she needed her peace. 

_How could I let that happen..._ Kaya gripped her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them as she watched the town settled down from the early morning frenzy.

She could still feel his hands on her. Him inside of her...

It was enough to make someone crazy.

"Hey, lady!" Kaya's attention turned down to a blonde haired boy... in orange.

_Just my luck_. She thought sarcasticly. _A sugar high genin... hold on a sec..._

Kaya's eyes widened as she took a second glance at the boy. He had a strong wall of chakra around him, and her curiousity was peaked even more by the whisker like scars.

"Oi, brat, whaddaya want!" She yelled down, and he grinned at her. Kaya found herself interested in his behavior. He was standing right outside the Sabaku team's temporary resisdence, yet he seemed unaware of the dangers inside.

-Kaya-

-Not right now-

With that, she abruptly cut the connection. For the moment, at least.

She jumped down from the roof, meeting the boy with narrowed blue eyes.

"You're a shinobi, right? Wanna spar?" She nodded at the offer, taking off towards the training grounds.

* * *

Gaara watched from the window as Kaya took off. He growled as he realized that she had cut the connection. 

Dammit, he needed to talk to her!


	9. Exams Stage 1

Thunder Bird

I don't own Naruto

Chapter Nine

Naruto jumped, avoiding a kunai that had been thrown his way. In return, he threw another kunai at Kaya. He heard a grunt, and turned to see that he'd missed her.

She grinned, seeing that the blonde infront of her was getting tired as she dropped under the shade of a tree.

"That's enough for today, Naruto." She called, staring out over the grassy plain.

"Bet you don't see many places like this in Suna, huh?" Kaya nodded softy, pushing herself up as she looked at the position of the sun.

"I should be heading back, we have to turn in our fourms soon." Naruto grinned, staring up at her.

"Could we do this more often, Kaya-Nee-Chan?" Kaya looked down at him, offering a small smile. "Sure."

* * *

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" Naru yelled, looking at Kaya as she walked in the doorway. Long silver hair flew back slightly at the yell. 

"I've been walking around. Chill out, would you?" Gaara looked at her from his spot on the wall. He was waiting for Temari and Kankuro. Kaya hugged herself loosely, avoiding his eyes.

"Chill out? CHILL OUT? YOU HAVEN'T EVEN FILLED OUT YOU--" Kaya held out her fourm, showing it to Naru and cutting her off. "Oh..."

"Are we ready?" Temari asked, coming into the room and dragging Kankuro with her.

"Yeah, if temper tanturm here can keep her mouth shut long enough for us to register." Kaya said, jerking her thumb towards Naru.

Kankuro laughed, walking out the door as Naru turned and started beating him over the head with her fists.

* * *

Kaya had succeded in scaring the shit outof the Chunin that was checking their fourms. After that the Suna siblings and the two girls had found a spot in the crowded room to settle down and wait for the exams to begin. 

That is, until Naruto decided to make a fool out of himself.

Kaya's eyes watched as the Oto nins attacked Kabuto. Those blue orbs narrowed, seeing the chakra behind the dodged punch.

"Kaya, what just happened?" Naru asked softly, getting the attention of the silver haired girl as well as the Suna trio.

"From the looks of it, carefully calculated chakra release. In a moment, that guy should be..." Kaya trailed off as Kabuto doubled over and threw up. "Puking."

Kaya rolled her eyes at Naru's disgusted expression.

"That Oto boy is good. With that speed, he might even be able to get pass Gaara's sand." Gaara looked at her, then towards the front of the room as Morino Ibiki entered the room with his examiners behind him.

* * *

Kaya frowned, staring at the paper infront of her as she tapped her pencil against the table top. She'd managed the first two questions, but the rest... well, she really had no idea if they were in a different language or not. She risked a glance across the room, finding Gaara had his Third Eye activated. 

-Yo, Gaa, little help here-

She saw him sigh to himself, his eye flashing towards her.

-Which one?-

-Three...then four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine-

Kaya grinned delightedly as she copied down what he told her.

-...Why did you run off this morning?-

Kaya blinked, setting her pencil down as she crossed her arms over her stomach.

-Why didn't you stick around long enough for me to atleast wake up?-

-... I had things that I needed to do, Kaya.-

-Yeah, like what?-

-I needed to talk to Kankuro-

-About what?-

She was upset, Gaara could hear it as her voice echoed in his mind.

-Look, I'm sorry... Kaya, you know that I can't sleep, what do you think I was doing the whole night?-

-What you do everynight-

-Wrong. I spent the whole night watching you sleep-

Kaya blushed, staring down at her lap.

-Gaara... I...-

-What?-

Her blush faded, and her vision became blurry as she decided weather or not to tell him what she had decided.

-I can't be in a realationship with you-


End file.
